The Lord Is Protecting Us

Hola Hola! 

This week was an interesting one! We had interviews with President and I was ready to get shaved (that's missionary for lectured) for eating last week at Plaza Mira Flores. He did address it, but overall he pretty much let it go. He told me that I should remember this moment and let it be something that I would remember for the rest of my life about obedience...maybe he's right, I don't know. But at least he's not mad. 

It sounds like a good time to be in Utah right now. I remember spring! We are about to enter wintertime here. That means in about two weeks it is going to start raining like crazy! I'm expecting one or two GIANT rainstorms every day! haha It's awesome! Winter also means that we will be able to talk on the phone again!!!!! (Or skype or whatever...) I'm pumped!!! We still haven't figured out all the details, we will probably do that this week. I'll keep you posted!

I can´t believe that high school soccer playoffs are about to start already!!! Second place in region isn't half bad! I remember this time last year vividly! I can't believe that it has already been a year! You will have to keep me updated on what happens in the playoffs. 

OK, I'm going to tell you an awesome story, just don't freak out! On Friday we were teaching a lesson to one of our investigators. We were talking about marriage and baptism. Then all of a sudden we hear BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG! Eight gunshots from just like fifty yards away! Five teenagers run in the house and slam the door screaming that their buddy just got shot! We turned off the lights and everyone got down and we were quiet for about ten minutes. Then we went outside to see what had happened, and to see if anyone needed a blessing, but we couldn't find anyone bleeding or anything. So we decided it was better if we just left that part of the area for the day. We have seen people running around with guns all week. It has been crazy! But we are fine and really I still feel safe in my area. People respect us as missionaries! Plus the Lord is protecting us! (: 

Love you guys! I hope you have a great week! 

-Elder Smith

One Hundred Degrees Every Day

Hola hola!

Happy Easter! Easter here is called Semana Santa, I actually kinda forgot that the American equivalent is Easter! It's the hottest week of the year, so everyone just goes to the beach or to a river to swim. The only real tradition is that there isn't a whole lot of work for the missionaries! Haha, just kidding, we kept ourselves busy. But it has been HOT! One hundred degrees or high nineties every day, with a ton of humidity too! But it's good.

Mom, I think you were inspired for sharing that article from the Ensign with me, because something stupid happened this week. The assistants came to our district meeting, so we had it on Wednesday instead of Thursday. And always after district meetings we go to eat as a zone at this place called Plaza Mira Flores. But this time the ZLs had to go do some work with the APs. So we went without them and we were eating just like normal, and then President Hernandez and his wife showed up to eat with some zone Leaders from a different zone. They accused us of being disobedient because we were outside of the area of our zone, and because it was Wednesday and we were supposed to be in our zone working... We explained why we were there, and that we didn't know it was a rule that we had to be in our zone because we always eat there, every week. So we apologized and left. Then today we saw those ZLs and they told us that President and his wife were SUPER mad at us, and because we are District Leaders they put our names on the "Black List" for our next president to see. I guess we were technically breaking a rule, but it was a rule that I didn't even know existed. But I just feel slapped in the face. Because I have been really obedient my whole mission, and I have worked really hard...but maybe this is just my opportunity to show to the Lord and myself that I can keep working hard and being obedient. Sorry if it seems like I'm complaining.

Whatever, crap happens sometimes I guess, right? I'm glad to hear that you are all doing good. I miss running! I can't wait to be able to go for a run again! Keep it up Dad, and go for the marathon!  Stefanie, write me an email!! Rachel, thank you for the letter!!! You rock! And Mom, please tell Grandma Smith that I get her letters, and that I love her very much! I just don't have a ton of time to write back!! But I'm working on it!

Please keep praying for Hermano Leonel! He is reading the Book of Mormon and really wants to know the truth about it.  It's amazing! Miracles happen and you guys are helping!  I love you all. Have a great week!!

-Elder Smith

Semana Santa

Hola Hola!

Spring break sounds so nice!!!! It's kinda like spring break here too. It's called Semana Santa, which is kinda like Easter week. But it just means that every one gets the week off from work and school, and because it's like the HOTTEST WEEK EVER!!!! everyone is at the beach. Or the river. Or anywhere but home to listen to the missionaries... haha Spring break sucks when you are serving a mission!

But in all reality we have been having quite a bit of success. Hermano Leonel is making a ton of progress!! He is reading the Book of Mormon, and is asking all the right questions. He is really an investigator of gold!!!! (...That sounds weird in English) But I'm really excited about him! Please keep praying for him. There seems to be a pretty direct relation between the people who get baptized in my areas, and the people I ask you to pray for.... haha wierd right??  My family has so much faith!!!! You guys rock! I would like to add Alejandra and Fernanda to that list.

Someone in General Conference, I don't remember who, said that we should share what we are studying in Preach My Gospel with our families! So, this week Elder Dalgo and I studied Lesson 5 which is given after baptism and it's about the laws and ordinances of the gospel! We studied the sacrament. It was an eye opening experience for me. I learned that we cannot be forgiven of our sins just through repentance alone. We could pray every day of our entire lives, begging and pleading for forgiveness with a broken heart and contrite spirit. We could change everything we were doing wrong and live righteously for fifty years. But if we never took the sacrament those sins would still be there. Only through taking the sacrament can those sins really be washed away. And as we take the sacrament worthily we eliminate a wall that we have constructed by our personal disobedience and sins, between us and the Holy Ghost, allowing us to be inspired and listen to his whisperings more easily and clearly! We'd better go to church every week! It's kinda important.

Sounds like you guys are having a good time back at home!!! That's awesome that you got to go to a Jazz game.  Even though they suck! And it's always fun to share hot springs with a drunk naked guy! haha Yes, I remember the blossoming trees on our street in April, pretty great time of year. And atta boy Chris Campbell!!! That's what I'm talking about!!

Well I hope you guys had a great week! Keep up the family scripture study, family prayers and the family home evenings! I think there is less than a month until we get to talk on Mother's Day!!! haha So I'll see you guys soon!!! I love you!!

Elder Smith

How Great Was Conference!

Hola Hola!!!

Mama!!! The lights went out in the colonia where we were writing!!!  We waited for a while and then went to another place to finish. I have been really inconsistent with my writing to you these past two weeks!!! I don't want you to lose faith in me!!! I will always write to you Mama!!!!

First things first, Elder Dalgo is an AWESOME missionary!!! I'm pretty obedient!  But he has already helped me change some of the bad habits that I didn't even recognize that I had. For example, our house was not messy, but super dusty! When he swept I was so surprised at how much dust there was, haha!  And a couple other little things that he has helped straighten out since he has been here. I think we are going to see some miracles this change!!

Secondly, how great was conference!!!!! Are you sleeping through the restoration?? I hope we can all answer that question NO! There were so many good suggestions and warnings given by the prophet, apostles, and other speakers. I really encourage you all to "Follow up" and search for common topics that you might be able to find. One thing that I found, at least three times was that we need to be ready and willing to stand alone! I think that we, as members, are going to start finding ourselves in situations in which we are going to have to really defend  what we believe. We gotta be ready for that!!!

In other news, we receive our money every fifteen days through a debit card. I am really dumb and lost my dang card!! I have been with out money for the past week and a half...I am dying!!!!!  Please say a prayer that my money will be transferred into my comp's account so I can stop stressing over money... that's the last thing I want to worry about on the misión. Money is stupid anyway! Law of Consecration all the way baby!!!!!

I would also like to ask you all to pray for two families. I think it was Elder Eyring who said that real happiness comes through making family bonds that last forever. I think that goes for the happiness that I will feel out here on the mission. I want to feel that level of true happiness that he spoke of! The families are the family of Hermano Leonel, and the family of Hermana Carolina y Norma. Please follow up on that!

I'm glad that everything is still going well with you guys! I pray for you to be safe and happy every day! God answers prayers!  And I am jealous it is your spring break and you get to sleep in!!! I don't even remember what sleeping in is anymore! It's like a fairytale dream! But I love you a lot!!!! You guys rock! 

To those members of the Priest Quorum back at home preparing for their missions, keep going!!! This is the best experience ever.

Love, Elder Smith

Changes!!

Hola, hola!!

Forgive me for not writing until Wednesday!!! This is what happened. Our zone baptized more than any other zone this month, so we asked President if we could go to the temple, and he said yes!!! But the temple isn't open on Mondays so we had to wait until Tuesday to have our p-day. But on Tuesday Elder Sorenson got really sick... so we just stayed in the house all day. And now I'm writing on Wednesday!

Other big news. Today was CHANGES!!!!! I have a new companion named Elder Dalgo. He is from Equador! He is a really nice guy, soft spoken. I think we are going to have a lot of success because he likes to work! I'm really excited about that! I would send a picture, but I still don't have a camera. I'll get on that though! I know that the Lord is going to bless us this change. I can feel it!

We had two baptisms this past Sunday! Olivia, and Maria Jose! it had to be Sunday because Olivia´s brother had to go out of town on Saturday, and Maria Jose's mom had to work too. But it was a great baptismal service. Our ward is really pretty awesome! The Young Women president and Elders Quorum president both spoke, and there was a lot of support from members. I was really happy about it! I really feel like they both are going to be lifelong converts now. They both have great systems of support to help them keep going!

That's awesome that you guys spoke in church this week. I'm sure you blew everyone away with the spirit! haha And I'm glad you had such a good time in Disneyland! And congrats to Billy and Josette!!! I'm so much older than my new cousin Lydia! haha But that's really great!

I love you all and hope you have a great week! The church is true! Listen to the spirit!

-Elder Smith

My new companion, Elder Dalgo